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I didn't plan on writing about about the walk to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), but it's been niggling at my brain, and there's only one way to get rid of a niggle. Well, there are probably lots of ways. I don't know; I'm not a niggle expert. But I'll write about it to get rid of it.
Don't get me wrong. The story is a powerful one, and it has personal significance because of a retreat I was on years ago. The homily on Sunday was a good one. But I had the attitude, "Oh, this story," and did not really listen intently or meditate on it.
Then came the niggle.
As I thought about it more, I realized the disciples on their way to Emmaus had a spiritual blind spot. There Jesus was, right in front of them, talking to them, explaining how the scriptures were fulfilled in him and his resurrection, but they didn't recognize him.
Blind spots are a fact of our daily lives. I remember discovering my visual blind spot in science class experiment. Thankfully we can move our heads to easily resolve the problem.
We have lots of blind spots when we drive. Again, moving the ol' noggin alleviates the problem. Now we have all sorts of technology to reveal things hidden in our blind spots —back up beepers, back up cameras, blind spot sensors on our side mirrors, back seat drivers, etc.
We all have psychological, emotional and spiritual blind spots. Some we are not aware of. Others we create ourselves to avoid a reality we are not prepared to face.
Just as it took a little help from Jesus for the disciples to recognize him as the risen Christ, we need a little special help to recognize (or face) our own spiritual blind spots. And the help comes from the Holy Spirit, the one Jesus promised he would send when he returned to the Father (cf John 14:26).
We also have been given pillars of our faith to help reveal those things that might otherwise remain hidden: sacred scripture, sacred tradition and the teaching authority of the Church. Guess who ties all those together? The Holy Spirit.
Every week, Jesus reveals himself to us just as he did to the disciples, in the breaking of the bread. Plus we have the other six sacraments where we have a real, personal, physical encounter with God's love and grace. His light reveals things that were previously hidden (cf Mark 4:22).
Holy Spirit, lovingly reveal those things that are hidden in our blind spots so we may know and love you with the Father and Son.
There. Take that you niggle.
What are our spiritual blind spots, and how do you deal with them?
Don't get me wrong. The story is a powerful one, and it has personal significance because of a retreat I was on years ago. The homily on Sunday was a good one. But I had the attitude, "Oh, this story," and did not really listen intently or meditate on it.
Then came the niggle.
As I thought about it more, I realized the disciples on their way to Emmaus had a spiritual blind spot. There Jesus was, right in front of them, talking to them, explaining how the scriptures were fulfilled in him and his resurrection, but they didn't recognize him.
Blind spots are a fact of our daily lives. I remember discovering my visual blind spot in science class experiment. Thankfully we can move our heads to easily resolve the problem.
We have lots of blind spots when we drive. Again, moving the ol' noggin alleviates the problem. Now we have all sorts of technology to reveal things hidden in our blind spots —back up beepers, back up cameras, blind spot sensors on our side mirrors, back seat drivers, etc.
We all have psychological, emotional and spiritual blind spots. Some we are not aware of. Others we create ourselves to avoid a reality we are not prepared to face.
Just as it took a little help from Jesus for the disciples to recognize him as the risen Christ, we need a little special help to recognize (or face) our own spiritual blind spots. And the help comes from the Holy Spirit, the one Jesus promised he would send when he returned to the Father (cf John 14:26).
We also have been given pillars of our faith to help reveal those things that might otherwise remain hidden: sacred scripture, sacred tradition and the teaching authority of the Church. Guess who ties all those together? The Holy Spirit.
Every week, Jesus reveals himself to us just as he did to the disciples, in the breaking of the bread. Plus we have the other six sacraments where we have a real, personal, physical encounter with God's love and grace. His light reveals things that were previously hidden (cf Mark 4:22).
Holy Spirit, lovingly reveal those things that are hidden in our blind spots so we may know and love you with the Father and Son.
There. Take that you niggle.
What are our spiritual blind spots, and how do you deal with them?
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